• Pools, gyms and sports facilities allowed to open across the country from Tuesday (8 September) as national easements implemented from 25 July applied to the rest of Blackburn with Darwen, Bradford and Leicester
• National easements on additional business reopenings and leisure activities from 15 August will be applied to the majority of Greater Manchester, Lancashire and West Yorkshire from Tuesday (8 September)
• Newark and Sherwood, Slough and Wakefield will be removed from ‘areas of concern’

Following discussions with local leaders, the Health and Social Care Secretary, NHS Test and Trace, the Joint Biosecurity Centre (JBC) and the Chief Medical Officer for England have agreed this week’s changes to local restrictions in some parts of England.

National easements dated 25 July

Every pool, gym and sports facility will now be able to open across the country.

Indoor swimming pools, including water parks, indoor fitness and dance studios, indoor gyms and sports courts and facilities, will be able to lawfully reopen from Tuesday 8 September at 12.01am throughout:

• Leicester
• remaining parts of Blackburn with Darwen
• remaining parts of Bradford

These easements will bring Leicester and the remaining parts of Bradford and Blackburn with Darwen in line with the national easements implemented on 25 July. The easements already in place in some parts will now apply to the whole area. We will formally review restrictions on other businesses in Leicester in line with the 15 August easements by 11 September.

National easements dated 15 August

Casinos, skating rinks, bowling alleys, exhibition halls, conference centres and indoor play areas (including soft play areas) will be able to lawfully reopen from Tuesday 8 September at 12.01am throughout:

• Greater Manchester, apart from Bolton, where these restrictions will remain in place
• Lancashire
• West Yorkshire

Socially distanced indoor performances will also be able to resume, and remaining restrictions on certain close contact services (treatments on the face, such as eyebrow threading or make-up application) will be lifted.

These easements will bring Greater Manchester, apart from Bolton, Lancashire, and West Yorkshire, in line with the changes made in the rest of the country on 15 August. The rates of infection remain too high in Bolton for these easements to be applied and further work is now underway with local leaders.

Today’s announcement is a testament to the hard work of residents, local communities and local authorities who have all worked to bring down the rates of infection. To maintain this good progress, it is important local residents continue to wear face coverings where necessary, practise good hygiene and adhere to national social distancing rules.

The rate of infection is still too high in Greater Manchester, parts of Lancashire and West Yorkshire to allow lifting restrictions on gatherings.

Health and Social Care Secretary Matt Hancock said:

I’m very glad we’ve been able to make this change, working with local councils, because local lockdowns are working to control the virus. We are seeing improvements in the rates of infection thanks to the huge efforts made by local communities and authorities working alongside our effective Test and Trace system.

We must stay alert and I continue to encourage everyone to play their part by following local rules, self-isolating and requesting a free test as soon as they get any symptoms.

Changes to watchlist: 4 September

Based on the latest data, Newark and Sherwood, Slough and Wakefield will be removed from the watchlist.

Leeds, South Tyneside, Corby, Middlesbrough and Kettering have been added to the watchlist as areas of concern.

Norfolk, Rossendale and Northampton will be added as ‘areas of enhanced support’, meaning government will work with local authorities to provide additional resources – such as testing or contact tracing – to help bring the numbers of infections down.

The Leicester Regulations, North of England Regulations, and Blackburn with Darwen and Bradford Regulations will be reviewed by 11 September.

Local areas are encouraged to take a collaborative approach to advise on the geographical boundaries of local restrictions, with councils, public health leaders and MPs making proposals to the Gold Local Action committee based on the latest data available.

It means restrictions in some areas will only apply to certain wards, rather than the entire local authority area. This is a key part of the government’s enhanced Contain Strategy, and will deliver more targeted action to drive down rates of COVID-19 at a hyper-local level, including support such as increased testing or contact tracing and intervention where needed.

Public Health England (PHE), the JBC and NHS Test and Trace are constantly monitoring the levels of infection and other data on prevalence of the virus across the country. As has always been the case, measures are kept under constant review and we will bring in national measures to save lives.

The weekly Local Action Gold Committee, chaired by the Health and Social Care Secretary, agreed local restrictions will continue or be introduced in the following areas.

Greater Manchester

• A ban on 2 households mixing indoors will continue in City of Manchester, Salford, Rochdale, Trafford, Oldham, Bury, Bolton and Tameside
• In Oldham, in addition to a household mixing ban indoors, residents will continue to be advised to avoid mixing with anyone from another household anywhere
• In Bolton, casinos, skating rinks, bowling alleys, exhibition halls, conference centres and indoor play areas (including soft play areas) will remain closed. Socially distanced indoor performances will remain closed, and restrictions on certain close contact services will remain. We are working closely with local leaders

Lancashire

• A ban on 2 households mixing indoors will continue in Preston, Pendle and parts of Blackburn
• In parts of Blackburn and parts of Pendle residents will continue to be advised to avoid mixing with anyone from another household anywhere

Leicester

• Indoor gatherings restrictions remain – the next review of these measures will take place by 11 September
• Indoor swimming pools, including water parks, indoor fitness and dance studios, indoor gyms and sports courts and facilities, will be able to lawfully reopen from Tuesday 8 September at 12.01am, but casinos, skating rinks, bowling alleys, exhibition halls, conference centres and indoor play areas (including soft play areas) will remain closed. This will be reviewed next week
• Socially distanced indoor performances will remain closed, and restrictions on certain close contact services will remain

West Yorkshire

• The ban on indoor household gatherings will continue in urban areas of Bradford where the ban is in place
• In Kirklees, the ban on indoor household gatherings will continue in Dewsbury and Batley
• The ban on indoor household gatherings will also continue in parts of Calderdale

Background information

PHE’s weekly surveillance report includes changes to the watchlist of local authority areas with higher-than-average incidences of COVID-19. The changes are:

• Newark and Sherwood, Slough and Wakefield removed from the watchlist
• South Tyneside, Leeds, Corby, Middlesbrough and Kettering added to ‘areas of concern’
• Norfolk, Rossendale and Northampton will now be classed as ‘areas of enhanced support’
• Bolton and Trafford added to ‘areas of intervention’

Read the full surveillance report, which includes this week’s watchlist and what the different categorisations mean.

The 3 definitions for JBC and PHE’s watchlist are: ‘areas of concern’, ‘areas of enhanced support’, and ‘areas of intervention’:

• For ‘areas of concern’, upper tier local authorities will work with partners, supported by regional PHE and NHS Test and Trace resource, to take additional actions to manage outbreaks and reduce community spread of the virus to more normal levels. Actions taken may include additional targeted testing at high-risk areas or groups – for example care homes – enhanced communications around the importance of social distancing, hand hygiene and other preventative measures, and more detailed epidemiological work to understand where clusters of the virus are occurring so that appropriate action can be taken

• areas deemed for ‘enhanced support’ will be provided with increased national support, capacity and oversight, including additional resources deployed to augment the local teams where this is necessary. Actions taken may include significant additional widespread testing deployed to the upper tier local authorities, national support for local recommendations put in place to manage outbreaks, and detailed engagement with high-risk groups and sectors to help increase the effectiveness of testing and tracing in these areas

• ‘areas of intervention’ are defined where there is divergence from the lockdown measures in place in the rest of England because of the significance of the spread of COVID-19. There are a range of non-pharmaceutical interventions available to local and national leaders, from extensive communications and expanded testing, to restrictions on businesses and gatherings

See the Contain Framework for more information.

The Department for International Trade has today (Friday 4 September) announced its new advisers to the Board of Trade, comprising of senior figures from business, academia and government.

Board members and advisers will meet quarterly and use their influence to help Britain make a stronger case for free trade on the international stage, helping the government forge a stronger global consensus for free trade at a time of increased protectionism.

The Board will engage extensively with industry, communities, farmers and consumer groups across the UK, to ensure a range of voices are heard as the UK develops its independent trade policy. The Board will also encourage more businesses across the UK regions and nations to boost their international trade.

The new advisers to the Board are announced at an important time for UK trade policy and as negotiations with the US, Japan, Australia and New Zealand enter their crucial latter stages – although advisers to the Board will have no direct role in striking trade deals.

The Board will represent a range of views to help in its advisory function, promoting free and fair trade and advising on UK trade policy to the International Trade Secretary.

Secretary of State for International Trade, Liz Truss said:

The new Board of Trade will play an important role in helping Britain make the case for free and fair trade across the UK and around the world.

At a time of increased protectionism and global insecurity, it’s vital that the UK is a strong voice for open markets and that we play a meaningful role in reshaping global trading rules alongside like-minded countries.

The new Board will help us do that, bringing together a diverse group of people who share Britain’s belief in free enterprise, democracy, and high standards and rules-based trade.

Dr Linda Yueh, economist at Oxford University, London Business School and LSE IDEAS, said:

I am honoured to advise on trade policy at this important time. Trade will play a key role in supporting the UK’s economic growth.

I look forward to working with other advisers to bring our expertise to the Board.

Further information:

Membership of the Board of Trade is restricted to Privy Councillors.

The President of the Board of trade is:

(i) Secretary of State for Department of International Trade

(ii) Deputy President, Marcus Fysh MP

The advisers are:

• Secretary of State for Scotland

• Secretary of State for Northern Ireland

• Secretary of State for Wales

• Minister for Trade Policy (invited when relevant to Ministerial portfolio)

• Minister for Investment (invited when relevant to Ministerial portfolio)

• Minister for Exports (invited when relevant to Ministerial portfolio)

• Minister for International Trade (invited when relevant to Ministerial portfolio)

• The Hon Tony Abbott

• Karen Betts

• Anne Boden MBE

• Daniel Hannan

• Rt Hon Patricia Hewitt

• Emma Howard Boyd

• Michael Liebreich

• Rt Hon the Lord Mayor of the City of London, William Russell

• Dr Linda Yueh

Mr Chairman,

Thank you for calling this meeting to discuss the alarming developments in Belarus. The UK welcomes this opportunity to hear from the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Belarus and from representatives of Belarusian civil society.

It is no secret that the UK has been shocked by the events we have seen unfold in Belarus. Our statements have been unequivocal. We do not accept the result of the Presidential election of 9 August, and share the concerns raised by the UN including by the Secretary-General, two Working Groups and four Special Rapporteurs – including Ms Marin who is of course with us this morning.

I will not list in detail the violations we have seen take place in Belarus; the speakers have shared their own experiences of these. But I will reiterate that the UK will not sit back silently when we see political candidates and their campaign teams, peaceful protestors or journalists subject to harassment and detention by the authorities on unclear grounds. When democratic values are ignored, electoral processes manipulated and independent observers excluded. When violence is used against citizens, journalists including representatives of the BBC and other international outlets, and others – including, appallingly, minors.

The Belarusian authorities must cease brutalising protesters, release political prisoners including members of the Coordination Council, and engage in constructive dialogue with the Council and wider civil society. The international community demands that the rights of the Belarusian people be respected, and that those who have violated them be held accountable. An independent investigation through the OSCE into the electoral process and the violations that followed will be a critical step towards ensuring this accountability, as I made clear in my statement at the Special Permanent Council on 28 August. We are also prepared to use sanctions to hold those responsible to account, and we will be working with partners to explore all options.

There are some who have intimated that geopolitics is playing a role in the concerns we are raising, or that third parties are intervening in Belarus’ internal affairs to fuel demonstrations. Such claims are wholly false. All we are asking is for the Belarusian state to live up to the obligations it has to protect the rights of its own people.

The UK has long worked in partnership with others to support civil society in Belarus. I am proud to be able to say today that the UK intends to double its support for independent media, human rights organisations and community groups in Belarus with an extra £1.5m for projects over the next two years.

I would like to conclude by thanking those who have briefed us today on their experiences. The expertise of Ms Marin and the contributions of Ms Tsikhanovskaya, Mr Stefanovic and Ms Siakhovich have been invaluable. Your bravery and determination to seek a more open, democratic future for the people of Belarus is highly commendable.

Thank you.